Keeping Possession (Diamond)

Age Group: 12-13 Years Old Ability Level: Beginner Gender: Boys

Equipment Required: Bibs, balls, cones

Aim of Session: The aim here is to help the team keep possession and for all players involved to be comfortable on the ball and not panic or waste possession. The drills involved in this exercise should also raise awareness within the players, they should realise the importance of creating width and depth in possession so they always have an option when they are on the ball. The exercise will also help support play and basic passing and moving.

Overview: Children at a young age should be taught the importance of possession, in soccer you need the ball!

If you have the ball the other team can't score, but more importantly... you can!

Drill 1 - Support Play (Create a Diamond) 

Instruction: Set up a field divided into thirds. The two end thirds should be roughly 25x20 with the centre section a lot narrower, 25x10. For the warm up simply use the 2 end sections and play games of 4 v 2 keep ball, with 4 players on each end of the area and 2 in the middle trying to win the ball.

  

Coach: In the diagram, the red player on the left hand line has the ball, the red players on the left and right must move down the line to come and support, when a pass is played to a new player the others in the team must react accordingly to make sure the person on the ball always has some one to pass too.

Demonstration: Show that if players do not move that the defenders will shut the person in possession down and win the ball. The team of 4 must create a diamond so that the person on the ball has an option to pass to left and right and long up the field. It doesn't matter who the two defenders pick up there will still be a person to pass to. Switch defenders accordingly.

Possible Progressions:

• Play 2 touch.

Drill 2 - Support Play Progressed

Instruction: As a progression we now take the structure away and the team must create diamonds and get into space in open play. Have 4 red players in one box, defenders in the middle (player 'R') and 4 blue players in the other end box. The red team start with the ball, passing and moving. One the coaches command 2 defenders can enter the red teams box to try and win the ball, the red team must keep the ball with good support play and shape (width and depth - diamond!). The red team can also use the blue players who should be getting into a position in their box to receive a pass (long ball up field). When the ball is played from the red square to the blue square, the 2 defenders re-enter the centre box and the other 2 defenders approach the blue square in an attempt to win the ball. How quickly can the blue team get into shape to support the player on the ball?

Possible Progressions:

Team must make 3 passes before passing long
The 2 defenders standing in the centre can intercept bad long passes

Coaching Points:

• Pass and support
• Decision making - always pass to a player in space
• Keep possession

Drill 3 - Possession Game

Set Up: Remove the middle line of cones and keep players with the same bibs on. Play 8 v 4. For example the red team and the blue team combine to play team 'R' If the team in defense win the ball the team that lost possession become defending team.

Coaching Points: Use the numbers advantage, 8 v 4! When a player is on the ball, 1 player support left and one support right with the other players in the team moving long and wide to pull away defenders and create space. If defenders don't follow you are open and should call for a pass.

• Move the ball quick
• Good first touch
• Play 2 touch where possible
• Don't waste possession!

Conditioned Game

Instruction: From the previous exercise give 1 player from team 'R' a blue bib and one a red. Now play 5 v 5 with two neutral players. The numbers advantage is now not as great and movement will need to be even better, you can gradually build up to 6 v 6 however working with a numbers advantage first to show the players successfull possession. Each team attempts to keep the ball from the other showing good support play and movement off the ball

Progressions:

1. 10 uninterrupted passes = 1 goal 
2. Add goals at each end - once a team makes 10 passes they can score in either net
3. Progress to a full no conditioned game

Coaching Points: Pass and move, support player on the ball, keep possession.